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EL FERA$$AH 



CHEÍROSOPHY 

BY 

KHALDAH 


PUBLISHED BY 

THE KHALDAH PUBLISHING COMPANY 

95 WASHINGTON STREET 
N EW YORK CITY 




















V 













% 




EL FERASSAH 

Hand-Reading 

A PRACTICAL AND POPULAR TREATISE IN 

üVlodern Cheirosophy 

WITH NUMEROUS PLATES AND DIAGRAMS 

BY 

1/ 

KHALDAH 

'i 


“And God has so marked the hand of man that it may be 

read." 


PUBEISHED BY 


THE KHALDAH PUBLISHING COMPAN Y 
95 WASHINGTON STREET 
NEW YORK CITY 


















/ 










CONTENTS, 

Preface . .. 5 

Introduction. 9 

The Anatomy of the Hand.20 

Cheirognomy.31 

Cheiromancy.56 

Autobiography.*. 79 








15896 


COPYRIGHTED, 1898, by A. KHALDAH. 



TWO COPIES RECEiVED* Í 

L.íC O ~ . - 


7 






























♦ t 


































































































X 





















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• • 




























COPYRIGHTED, 1898, BY FALK 




EL FERASSAH. 


5 


X 


PREFACE. 

This modest contribu'tion to the Science oí 
Cheirosophy is the product of ten years’ serious 
study and embodies a resume of lectures and de- 
monstrations delivered during the last five years 
in the principal cities of America. 

In submitting his work thus, in printed form 
to the public, the author is well aware of the 
difficulty of oibtaining a hearing. In these days 
when in very truth “of making many books 
there is no end;” more than ordinary interest . 
must attach either to the writer or his subject 
to insure readers, for even the worthiest of 
publications. And, unhappily, the wide ex¬ 
tended prejudice which in occidental countries 
exists against the Science herein treated, pre- 
sents an additional and exceptional obstacle to 
the popularity of the present volume. Accord- 


6 


EL FERASSAH. 


ingly, the author will not be surprised if he be 
charged with presumption in thus calling at- 
tention anew to a subject, perhaps already suf- 
ficiently canvassed. 

But while such criticisms will not surprise 
bim, neither will they disturb him. For as an 
humble Champion of truth he feels bound to 
make no apology. In the modesty of the novice 
he has long withstood the solicitations of num- 
erous patrons and friends, and if in issuing this 
little volume he has at length yielded to their 
entreaties, this acquiescence is no't due to any 
latent eagerness for publicity, but purely in the 
interest of his Science and in the furtherance of 
truth. 

For while Cheirosophy is an oíd art it is a 
comparatively modern Science , and like every 
Science, it is still in the making. New truths 
are continually being discovered and oíd truths 
are constantly receiving clearer elucidation 
through the la'bors of the profounder students 
of this and cognate Sciences. 

Such a new scientific truth the author be- 
lieves to be his original combination of the prin¬ 
cipies of Cheirosophy and Physiognomy in the 
reading of temperament and character. Both 
the hand and the face are but signs, reflecting 
the mental constitution and revealing the as- 


EL FERASSAH. 


7 


trological corrditions under which the subject 
was 'born. Now, it is a well recognized princi¬ 
pie of modern science to inelude all the data 
before and after an induction is drawn, 
since one body of the data may cor- 
rect another and thus lead to a more 
perfect conclusión. So in the reading of 
the temperament the signs of the face may cor- 
rect those of the hand or vice versa. Either 
alone, might prove an insufíicient basis for in¬ 
duction while combined, their indications are 
well-nigh infallible. 

This original method of induction, the author 
expounds at considerable length in the body of 
the work, and he is so confident of its impottance 
as well as its plausibility tliat he believes this 
consideration alone will recommend his book 
to the reading public as a material contribution 
to the modern science of Cheirosophy. 


EL FERASSAH. 


9 


INTRODUCTION. 

The hand is the most nseful of members. 
Only those who have temporarily or permanent- 
ly been deprived of its Services can appreciate 
how greatly we depend upon it for the comfort 
of living. In the presence of the other senses 
the touch of the hand so supplements their de- 
liverances as vastly to enhance their precisión 
and completeness, and in the lack of particular 
sense as sight or hearing, the sensitive hand has 
often proved no mean substitute. Who has not 
seen the blind man, make eyes of his deft fingers 
drawing inferences from the sense of touch as to 
the form, size and even color of objects. 

It is the hand which perhaps more than any 
other mem'ber shows by its form and texture the 
degree of evolution to which the subject has at- 
tained. The lower animáis have no hand. We 


IO 


EL FERASSAH. 


speak of the paw of a lion, the hoof of a horse 
or the claw of an eagle, but the hand only of a 
man. Even the higher orders of anthropoid 
apes whose corresponding extremities certainly 
bear some resemblance in form to the human 
member can hardly be said to possess a hand. 
It is rather a claw or perhaps a highly dexter- 
ous foot that the ape uses so ingeniously. 

It is a long distance from the most perfect 
extremity of the lower animáis to the elemen- 
tary hand of the rudest savage. The difference 
is summed up by saying that the latter is a hand 
and the former, however, ingeniously and cur- 
iously employed, is something less than a hand. 

This development of the human hand out of 
the crude extremity of the lower animal is 
marked by two notable improvements:—differ- 
entiation in form and sensitiveness of touch and 
both of these features correspond, if indeed they 
are not due to the higher evolution of mind. 

It was Milne Edwards the noted zoologist who 
asserted that “the faculties of the mammalia are 
elevated in proportion as their extremities are 
the better constructed for prehensión and 
touch.” It is undou'btedly true that the acute- 
ness of the sense of touch is a very fair gauge 
of the intelligence of the animal. Take the ele- 
phant for example, an animal noted for its intelli- 


EL FERASSAH. 


1 1 

gence though its clumsy and unwieldy body 
might at first suggest the contrary. It is a well- 
known fact that the trunk of the elephant is 
peculiarly sensitive and capable of the most deli- 
cate touch. With this wonderful instrument 
the animal will pick up alike a peanut or a 
heavy beam. So with other animáis, their sense 
of touch and their prehensive capability de- 
velops in even ratio to their intelligence. 

In view of this recognized truth we should 
justly expect the hand of man, the most in- 
telligent of living beings to be what it is—a 
most marvelous mechanism, capable alike of 
wondrous feats of strength and of the most deli- 
cate of operations—a grasp as of a vice or 
a delicate touch whereby it can discern ob- 
jects too minute to be seen by the eye. 

In the developed hand we find the clumsy un- 
divided hoof of the lower animal differentiated 
into five digits, each so distinct from the others 
that each is capable of performing certain oper¬ 
ations separately, while the soft skin at the tips 
of the fingers is the thin covering for innumer¬ 
able nerve filaments which are constantly con- 
veying to the brain the minutest details of in- 
formation concerning the objects touched. 
And these marvelously consitructed hands and 
their fingers, according to the occupations to 


12 


EL FERASSAH. 


which they are applied, are in tura steadily 
being modified either in form or texture or in 
both, so that scarcely two human; hands are 
alike, and the hand of an individual or of a 
ratee is characterized by its special adaptation 
to the operations it has been in the ha'bit oí 
performing. 

Compare for example the hand of the Es- 
kimo with that of the cultivated Hindoo, whose 
delicacy of touch is proverbial, or compare the 
hand of the rude laborer whose chief business is 
to grasp the spade with that of the artist, accus- 
tomed to pencil a,ná brush. How great a differ- 
ence! Yet all this diversity is due to the action 
and reaction between hand and brain, the brain 
suggesting new occupations and the hand per¬ 
forming them. 

By this reciprocal process both hand and 
brain are modified, and thus arises what we cali 
cultivation and civilization. 

Note for an instant the marvelous adaptabil- 
ity of the hand. When drawn together it forms 
a vise in which to grasp an object as the handle 
of an axe or shovel, a gun, a ball or a book; 
and it can be made to adjust itself accurately, at 
a second’s notice, to the size of the object to be 
held, be it either very large or very small. Then, 
When clinched, it forms a hard ball—the fist— 


EL FERASSAH. 


13 


with which man instinctively defends himself 
against a foe. When completely distended it 
forms a smooth fíat surface—the palm, capable 
of sustaining the most delicate objects with the 
greatest ease and without deviating a hair’s 
breadth from the horizontal plañe. Then with 
the thumb and forefinger we pick up a pin 
or hold a pen or pencil. With the Índex finger 
we point to an object, and with the tips of the 
fingers we deteot the hardness, smoothness or 
form of any and everything. Thus we may 
apply the hand to any mechanical operation, 
using it as a whole or only in part according to 
the requirements which any given case may ex- 
act. 

But there is another class of uses for the hand 
which is more closely allied with the operations 
of the mind. I refer to the symbolical or 
linguistic uses. When I extend my right 
hand to clasp that of my friend, that act speaks 
as plainly as I could say in words ‘‘I bid you 
welcome.” “I am glad to see you.” If the 
priest extends his palms toward heaven it is 
to express supplication, or if he extends his arms 
with palms down, to pronounce a benediction. 
The outstretched arms with open palms, indícate 
■entreaty, while the hand raised on high with 
beckoning fingers signáis attention or summons 


4 


EL FERASSAH. 


one party to another, and the palm turned out- 
ward combined with proper facial expression, in- 
dicates horror or aversión. These symbolic, 
linguistic or pantomimic uses are as familiar as 
words with which we express our thoughts and 
those just enumerated are only a few of the 
symbolicaí uses to which the hand has been put 
to. Indeed we know that an entire manual 
language has grown up among the deaf and 
dumb—a language so poetical and so expressive 
that in not a few instances it appears superior 
even to that uttered by the tongue. And even 
language when uttered by the tongue, gains new 
warmth and forcé from the gesticulations by 
which the hand often utters its supplementary 
language. Watch an orator by a turn of his 
hand calm or excite a throng of auditors and see 
a vivacious conversationalist render his narra- 
tive picturesque and beautiful by means of the 
hand’s accompanying pantomine. In view of 
the exquisite adaptability of this facile mernber 
to such an infinite variety of uses and in view 
of its sure modifications to special types accord- 
ing to the application of it, to more or less deli- 
cate functions, is it not most reasonable to sup- 
pose that the law undeñying these changes, 
once discovered will afford us a valuable key to 
the study of personality and character? As we 


EL FERASSAH. i 5 

have already remarked, there exists an admitted 
action and reaction between mind and hand— 
each developing by the aid of the other. The 
more sensitive the hand becomes by training, 
the more keen become the perceptive powers of 
the mind. And in reverse order the keen, alert 
mind suggests new functions for the hand. So 
evident is this reciprocal influence that it is now 
generally aíimitted that the hand and mind 
keep pace with each other and that there ex¬ 
ists certain types of hand that correspond strictly 
to certain types of mind. Everyone knows in a 
general way that the hand of a woman differs 
from that of a man, that the hand of an artist 
differs from that of a stone cutter, that a phil- 
osopher’s hand is not that of the manufacturer 
or the merchant. These facts are impressed 
upon the most casual observer in the ordinary 
intercourse of life, but that there is an inmuda¬ 
ble law underlying the differences is not so gen¬ 
erally recognized. Yet, this, the profounder 
students of the hand believe to be established, 
and upon the basis of this demonstrated law 
they have constructed an entire science—tiie 
Science of Cheirosophy. 

This ñame is derived from the Greek words 
ZEUS and SOPHIA, and signi'es the wisdom 
or philosophy of the hand. The meaning of the 


6 


EL FERASSAH. 


word affords a correct indication of the scope 
of the Science which is very different from the 
mediaeval palmistry. This latter was an art 
having little or no scientific basis and deserves 
to be classed with the various fanciful studies 
which have flourished in the past under the gen¬ 
eral term of divination or magic. What As- 
trology is to Astronomy, what Alchemy is to 
Chemistry, even that is “Palmistry” to “Cheir- 
osophy.” The two have nothing in common 
but their common subjeot. In their principies 
and mehods they are utterly distin-ct. In short, 
one is an art, baselessly futile, relying upon 
credulity and superstition for its influence, while 
the other is in the strictest sense a science boldly 
facing the broad intellectual enlightenment of 
the nineteenth century and inviting the keenest 
scrutiny of its methods and conclusions. Re¬ 
sultan! on this wide difference in character, the 
former is now antiquated and ridiculed, while 
the latter is continually growing in favor with 
the most intelligent and thoughtful of critics. 

Cheirosophy—the Science of the Hand—is 
commortly divided into two parts according to 
the natural subdivisión of the sub}ect. These 
subdivisions are “Cheirognomy” or the “Science 
of the hand forms,” and Cheiromancy” or the 
“Science of hand-lines.” The former treats of 


EL FERASSAH. 


•7 


the types of haird which correspond to the prin¬ 
cipal which recognized types of mind. It draws 
its inferences from the shape of the hand and 
the form of the fingers, the protuberance or non- 
protuberance of joints, the shape of the finger- 
tips and character of the nails, in short, the- 
purely formal characteristics. 

Cheiromancy on the other hand deais with the 
texture of the skin, the lines of the open palm, 
wrists and fingers. 

In the present book, I apportioñ to each of 
these subjects a special chapter. 

In the diagnosis of a given hand, however, we 
combine the respective conclusions of our chei- 
rognomical and cheirognomy observations, 
Thus the hand of a given client A, considered 
from the point of view of cheirognomy, reveáis 
to me that its possessor is a materialist or an 
idealist, of an aesthetic temperament or lacking 
in the finer sense of beauty and harmony, a 
philosopher or a practical man of affairs. Sim- 
ilarly, by the principies of cheiromancy, I draw 
inferences from the lines of his hand. The line 
of life indicates the subject’s relative longevity, 
the line of the heart, his emotional possibilities; 
and so on to the end. It is then necessary to 
combine these data as a basis for our ultímate 
inferences. We may justly infer that a subject 


18 


EL FERASSAH. 


whose hand proves him to be practical, a shrewd 
man of affairs, with a modérate passional or 
emotive temperament and with a high proba- 
bility of long life, will be financially fortúnate, 
that he will be proof against extravagance, 'be- 
ing restrained by thrift from the indulgence of 
baser appetites and by his modérate aesthetic 
development from indulgence in the higher 
pleasures of the soul, as for example, art and 
music; that his limited emotional temperament 
would preserve him from frequently falling in 
love, and that he would marry if at all, on the 
soundest grounds of practical prudence. These 
conclusions plainly are attained by legitímate 
inference from the simple facts of our subject’s 
nature as revealed by the character of his hand. 
No frank and intelligent cheirosophist would 
ever claim that errors may not occur in his pro- 
cesses. We may have failed to give full weight 
to certain corrective considerations and thus 
have overstated or understated, though our 
method of inference was perfectly scientific. 
Such an incidental error so far from affording 
an argument against this Science rather dem- 
onstrates its essential reliability. Such a mod- 
icum of possible error is admitted in every 
Science, mathematics perhap» alone excepted. 
Such incidental errors are only mistakes of cal- 


EL FERASSAH. 19 

culation. They are the exceptions which prove 
the rule. 

Nevertheless, the true scientist is ever seek- 
ing to render his conclusions more absolutely 
incontrovertible, and the author believes that he 
has discovered a corrective test by the use of 
which even this mínimum of possible error in 
the inferences of Cheirosophy may be largely 
or wholly eliminated. This test consists in a 
comparison of the conclusions of Cheirosophy 
with those of Physlognomy. Let only these 
two kindred Sciences be brought side by side 
and definitely applied to a concrete instance of 
“mind and character diognosis,” and it will im- 
mediately be seen, how beautifully their con¬ 
clusions corrobórate each other, leaving hardly 
a lingering doubt of their correctness. 

We have thus brought the reader to the 
threshold of our science, but before we enter 
upon the discussion of it, a preliminary chapter 
upon the manual anotomy would seem neces- 
sary. Henee the chapter that immediately fol- 
lows. 


20 


EL FERASSAH. 


THE ANATOMY OF THE HAND. 

Structure precedes uses. It is the primary 
formation of any member upon which its appli- 
cation and ultímate modifications depend. The 
particular member which we are considering de¬ 
rives its capacity for ingenious operations and 
its consequent valué as an Índex of mentality 
precisely from its admirable structure. A pre- 
liminary consideration of the anatomy of the 
hand will, therefore, be not only appropriate, but 
necessary to a logical treatment of our general 
subject. 

The hand is a highly complex organ. If we 
view the living rnember from without we are 
readily aware that it is enveloped in a doüble 
covering of skin, one layer of which is highly 
sensitive to the touch, owing to the presence in 
it, of the multitudinous termini of sensory nerve 


EL FERASSAH. 


2 I 

threads; looking farther we discover strong 
tendons and soft bundles of muscles together 
with blood vessels, making up the fleshy portion 
of the hand and 1 if we press at intervals over the 
back of the hand and the fingers, we are able to 
discover each of the bones which go to consti- 
tute the skeleton or framework of this useful 
member. 

While the foregoing is the normal mode of 
discovering the parts of the hand, we shall more 
logically consider these several constitutent 
parts in reverse order. Thus we study (i) the 
bones, (2) the muscles, (3) the skin, (4) the vas¬ 
cular system and (5) the nerves. 

(1.) The bones are twenty-seven in number, 
and are of three classes—the carpal or wrist- 
bones, the metacarpal or bones of the body of 
the hand properly considered and the digital 
bones or phalanges, the bones of the 
fingers. The eigbt small bones of 
the wrist are arranged in two rows and each 
bone has its special ñame. Thus the distal row, 
that nearest the palm contains the trapezium, 
trapezoid, os magnum and unciform and in the 
proximal line are the scaphoid, semi-lunar cunei- 
form and pisiform bones. The latter as its 
ñame indicates is a round or pea-shaped bone, 
while all the others are of a generally cuboidal 


22 


EL FERASSAH. 


shape. On the sides, corresponding to the front 
and back of the liand the surface of these bones 
is uniformly rough, giving opportunity for the 
attachment of ligaments, their other surfaces are 
smooth as is necessary for articulation. 

Next we have the five metacarpal or palm 
bones. These consist of long, three-sided 
shafts terminating in enlarged extremities. 
They lie approximately parallel to each other ex- 
cept that of the thumb which stands out from 
the others at a wider angle. These meta-carpal 
bones articúlate with the distal row of carpal 
bones at the wrist and with the phalanges of the 
respective fingers and the thumb. 

The digits have each three phalanges, except 
the thumlb, which has but two. The phalanges 
in general resemble the metacarpal bones, pos- 
sessing a short shaft with two enlarged extrem¬ 
ities. That phalanx which is next the palm is 
by common usage considered the first. 

We have thus a conception of the manual 
skeleton or framework. One cannot fail to note 
the exquisite adjustment of these bones to each 
other for the purpose of articulation. The 
greatfreedom of motion enjoyed by the wrist is 
due to the easy adjustments of the eight small 
bones which compose its foundation and the 
división of the digits into phalanges enables 


EL FERASSAH. 


2 3 


each of them to be bent over upon itself or back 
upon the hand at will. 

These articulations or joints are well worth 
a momentos special attention, and we shall quote 
in this connection the admirable description of 
the celebrated anatomist Sir William Turner, of 
the University of Edinburgh. Begining with 
the wrist or radio-carpal joint he says: 

“An investing ligament, lined by a synorial 
membrane and subdivided into anterior, pos¬ 
terior, internal and external bands of fbres, en¬ 
doses the joint. It is the oblong form of hinge 
joint and possesses two axes, a long and a short; 
around the long axis movements occur which 
bend the hand forwards or bring it in line with 
the fore-arm or bend it backwards; around the 
short axis the hand may be moved towards the 
radical or ulnar margins of the forearm. . . 

The carpal and Oarpo-metacarpal joints are 
constructed thus: The articular surfaces are 
retained in contact by certain ligaments passing 
between the dorsal surdorsal surfaces of adjacent 
bones by ot'hers between their palmar surfaces 
and by interosseous ligaments between the 
semi-lunar and cuneiform, semi-lunar and sca- 
phoid, os magnum and unciform, os magnum 
and trapezoid to the trapezium and the cunei¬ 
form to the unciform. Similarly the trapezoid, 


24 


EL FERASSAH. 


os rnagnum and unciform are connected to the 
meta-carpal bones of the fingere by dorsal, 
palmar and interosseous ligaments and the meta- 
carpal bones of the fingers have a like mode of 
unión at their carpal ends. . . The range of 

movement at any one of these carpal joints is 
very slight, but the multiplicity of joints in this 
locality contributes to the mobility of the wrist, 
and makes the junction between the hand and 
forearm less rigid in its nature. The meta- 
carpal bone of the thumb is not jointed to the Ín¬ 
dex, and has a distinct saddle-shaped articula- 
tion with the trapezium invested (by a capsular 
ligament so that its range of movements is ex- 
tensive. 

“The metacarpal, phalangeal and interpha- 
langeal joints are connected by lateral liga¬ 
ments passing between the bones and by an 
arrangement of Abres on their dorsal and palmar 
surfaces. ,, 

The muscles which we now come to consider 
are divided into two general classes—the flexor 
and extensor muscles. The former are instru¬ 
mental in bending the members upon their 
joints, while the latter are employed to extend 
them. In the case of the hand we have to deal 
not alone with the muscles which are located 
strictly within that mem'ber, but also with cer- 


EL FERASSAH. 


2 5 


tain muscles of the arm, whose action is neces- 
sary to the flexión or extensión of the hand and 
its fingers. For example, the extensor muscles 
of the wrist are located in the forearm. Also 
the extensor of the thumb passes over the wrist 
and is attached to the forearm. Says Sir Will- 
iam Turner, speaking of the muscles of the 
thumb: “These muscles either pass from the 
forearm to the thumb or are grouped together 
at the outer part of the palm and form the eleva¬ 
ron known as the ball of the thumb; they are 
inserted either in the metacarpal bone or the 
phalanges. The thumb is extended and 1 ab- 
ducted i. e. drawn away from the índex by three 
extensor muscles descending from the forearm 
and inserted, one into each of its three bones, 
and a srnall muscle specially named abductor 
pollicis inserted into the outer side of the first 
phalanx; its bones are bent on each other by a 
long and short flexor muscle; ilt is drawn back 
to the índex by an abductor muscle, and the 
entire thumb is thrown across the surface of the 
palm by the “opponens pollicis” which is in¬ 
serted into the shaft of the metacarpal bone. 

The four fingers can be either bent or ex¬ 
tended or drawn asunder, i. e., abducted or 
drawn together, i. e. adducted. The ungual 
phalanges can be bent by the action of the deep 


2Ó 


EL FERASSAH. 


flexor muscle, the four tendons of which are 
inserted into them, the second phalanges by the 
superficial flexor, also inserted by four tendons, 
one into each phalanx. These muscles descend 
from the íront of the forearm into the palm in 
front of the wrist, where they are enclosed in a 
canal by a strong band, the anterior annular 
ligament and their surfaces are invested bv a 
synorial membrane which facilitates their 
movements to and fro beneath that ligament. 

Four rounded muscles, the íumbricales arise 
in the palm from the deep flexor tendons, turn 
round the radical borders of the first phalanges 
and are inserted, one into the extensor tendón 
on the dorsum of each finger; these muscles 
bend the first phalanges on the metacarpal 
bones, buit from their insertion into the ex¬ 
tensor tendons they also extend the second and 
third pnalanges on the first. 

The fingers are extended or straightened by 
muscles inserted into the back of the second and 
third phalanges; the extensor muscles descend 
from the back of the forearm—one, the common 
extensor subdivided imto four tendons, one for 
each finger, but in addition the índex finger and 
little fingers have each a sepárate extensor 
muscle, the tendón of which joins that of the 
common-extensor. The Índex finger possesses 


EL FERASSÜH. 


27 

more independent movemenit than the other 
digits—henee its more frequent use as a 
“pointerthe extensor tendons of the little and 
ring fingers are usually United togéther, so that 
these digits are associated in their movememts. 
Abduction and adduction of the fingers are 
oaused by seven small muscles situated in the 
inüervals between the metacarpal bones, henee 
called inter-osseous ; four of these lie on the back 
of the hand, three on its palmar surface; they 
are inserted into the sides of the first phalanges 
and either pulí the fingers avvay from the mid- 
dle finger or approximate them to it. 

Thus the human hand becomes a perfect in- 
strument of prehensión, not only can the indi¬ 
vidual fingers be bent into hooks, but the thumb 
can be thrown across the front of the palm so 
that it can be opposed to the several fingers; and 
objeets can therefore be grasped between it and 
them; but, further, this power of opposing the 
thumb permi'ts objeets to be held in the palm of 
the hand which may be hollowed into a cup or 
made to grasp a sphere. This versatility is the 
result of the fine adjustment of bones and 
muscles. 

(3) The thirdi conspicuous structural feat- 
ure of the hand is the integument or covering. 


28 


EL FERASSAH. 


This covering consists of two parts—the epider¬ 
mis and the cutis. The epidermis or scarf skin 
is the outer covering-, and itself consists of two 
layers, one of which is of the nature of horn or 
scales, and forms a thin, but useful protective 
armor. Beneath the epithelium or scale cov¬ 
ering are other layers of the epidermis, which 
are graduated epithelium, and the true skin 
called 1 the Cutis. The latter is a soft tender 
envelope, abounding in minute blood capillaries 
and lymphatic vessels. The surface of this true 
skin is rough, with minute elevations called 
papillae, which constitute the seat of the sense 
of touch by reason of the nerve fibres which 
terminate in them. 

The vascular system of the hand embraces an 
elabórate net work of blood and lymph vessels, 
some of which are visible upon the surface of the 
memlber through the transparent veil of the skin, 
whileotherslieimbeddeddeeplyamong the bones 
and museles. The arteries which convey the 
blood from the heart are a continuation of the 
large Ulnar and Radial arteries of the forearm. 
The former may be said in general to supply the 
palmar surface, while those of the latter supply 
the back of the hand. But the two meet in the 
palm to form two arches called respectively, the 
deep and the superficial palmar arches, and 


EL FÉRASSAH. 


2 b 

from their junction give off b ranches to the 
thumb and fingers. 

Fine thread-like capillaries complete the ar¬ 
terial system, and convey the blood over into the 
veins, which in turn carry it back to the heart. 
The veins begin in the extremities of the fingers 
and form two groups. One group imites in a 
palmar arch and proceeds along the front of the 
forearm and the other follows the back of the 
hand and the arm. These veins are plainly vis¬ 
ible throughout their course, and constitute one 
of the niost conspicuous superficial fea'tures of 
the hand. The lymph vessels follow in general 
the same course as the veins and ultimately 
unite with them. 

It remains to consider the less conspicuous, 
but most important subject of the nerves. Yet 
the limits of our chapter will permit only the 
briefest allusion to them. The nerves of the 
hand proceed both from the brain and from the 
spinal chord, the so-called sensory nerves con- 
veying to the brain the sensations due to touch, 
and the motor nerves serving as the vehicle of 
the forcé which manipulates the muscles. These 
nerves terminating in the finest of filaments, 
form a thick network in the hand, and are the 
means of rendering that member the sensitive 


So 


EL FERASSAH. 


and facile instrument, which in the cultivated 
human being it is observed to be. 

The foregoing sketch of the manual anatomy 
has necessarily been brief, but it will serve as a 
practical basis for a proper comprehension of 
the chapters which will follow. 


EL FERASSAH. 


CI-IAPTER II. 

Cheirognomy—The Shapes of Hands. 

CHEIROGNOMY. 

Cheirosophy—the Science of the Hancl—is 
commonly divided into twó parts according to 
the natural subdivisión of the subject. These 
subdivisions are Cheirognomy , or the science of 
hand-forms, and Clieiromancy , or the science of 
hand-lines. The former treats of the types of 
hands as denoted by their general conformation; 
the latter confines itself to a consideration of 
the lines in the palms. It is necessary to treat 
of these two branches of our science separately, 
and to Cheirognomy, as logically the first in 
order, we shall devote the present chapter. 

It is to Monsieur Le Capitaine Casimir 


3 2 


EL FERASSAH. 


D’Arpentigny that this branch of Cheirosophy 
owes its development. This soldier of the first 
Napoleón, in his book, “La Science de la Main,” 
firs't laid down the now universally accepted 
principies of the science. Many observers be- 
fore D’Arpentigny had noted the wide diversity 
in the shape of hands. It is said of Lavater, the 
father of Physiognomy, that when in the con- 
duct of his priestly office he held the bag in 
church, it was his habit to observe carefully the 
hands of the worshippers as they made their 
offerings, and that he made note of the wide 
diversity of shape and action, characterizing 
these multitudes of hands. But Lavater made 
no effbrt to origínate a science of hand-forms. 
This was achieved by D’Arpentigny, when out 
of the mass of diverse details of conformation, he 
fixed upon the seven primal types of liand which 
since his time have been universally accepted. 
The discussion of these types and their vari- 
ations will be the aim of this chapter. 

First, however, let us glance at the principal 
classes of divergences in the shapes of hands out 
of which the present order of our science is 
evolved. Hands difíer from one another in 
respect of (a) their size, (b) their shape, (c) their 
texture, (d) their habitudes. Under these four 
heads may be classified all the details of diver- 


EL FERASSAH. 


33 

gence wi'th which we have to deai. Some of 
these differences we shall now enumérate. 

(a) Size and Proportion. Hands are large or 
small according as they vary from a certain 
normal size which we cali médium. We form 
these judgments by comparing large numbers 
of hands and by observing the normal propor- 
tions of the human body. A tall man will natur- 
ally possess a larger hand than his shorter fel- 
low. This we should be led to expect by the laws 
of symmetry. It is only therefore when a given 
hand is excessively large or abnormally small 
that its size can have any special significance. 

A very large hand generally denotes an ex- 
tremely scrupulous mind, punctilious and at- 
tentive to minute details. If it be no't only large 
but also thick and soft the subject will be 
characterized by fussy activity without genuine 
energy. But if the hand be long and slender 
it is a mark of generosity and magnanimity. 
Such a hand indicates a well-balanced mind, 
characterized by wisdom and sound judgment. 
The possessor of the long slender hand will be 
honoraíble in all contracts and loyal in friend- 
ship. But suppose the hand be only moderately 
long and with thick fleshy fingers^—the size is 
no longer a favoraible token; such a subject 
will be phlegmatic, tending to negligence and 



f'AW'rC 

JL Ok.\\ 







EL FERASSAH. 


35 


laziness. If the hand be somewhat short, it be- 
tokens a tendency to gluttony and suggests an 
empty mind and' a gossipy, slanderons dispo- 
siition. Moslt to be desired, perhaps on the 
whole, is the médium hand—the hand that is in 
strict proportion to the rest of the body. The 
possessor of this hand will be quick of perception 
and assimmilation; he will have a peculiar 
faculty for combination of details and will be 
facile in the adoption of “means to ends.” 

It goes, of course, without saying that only 
tendencies are discovered in the rela'tive sizes 
of hands. Other features of a given hand may 
largely modify the significance of the size. Im- 
portant above all else, is its shape as we shall 
presently see. A well-formed hand is a much 
more favorable indication than any circums'tance 
of size. We may say, however, that given hands 
equal in other regard's but differing in size, the 
difference is to be in'terpreted in the light of the 
foregoing principies. 

We shall now for a moment consider the pro¬ 
portion of the respective parts of the hand to 
each other and to the whole hand. The inter- 
relation of the several parts afíords seope for a 
limitless variety in the character of hands. 
There may be a large palm and short fingers or 
a short palm and long fingers, and the fingers 


3 6 


EL FERASSAH. 


may vary indefiniteiy in their proportions to each 
other; also the thumb in its relation to the re- 
mainder of tlie hand may be very long, moder- 
ately long, or short. Furthermore', the phalanges 
in each finger or thumb may be of normal or 
abnormal proportions to each other. All these 
details are significant and meriit áttention. 

If the palm be long in proportion to the rest 
of the hand and the body, especially if i ! t be hard 
and unduly thick, there is a suggestion of brutal 
or brutish instincts. A savage might possess 
such a hand or a man of low grade of intelli- 
gence in civilized communities. In either case 
the possessor of this sort of hand might prove a 
decidedly dangerous person, and is not to be 
desired as a constant companion. 

If the palin be long, with fingers of médium 
length and well formed, the combination indi- 
cates ingenuity, but also a lack of perserverance. 
Where the palm is pliable, thick and 1 well pro- 
portioned to thumb and fingers¡ there is apti- 
tude for the enjoyments of life and a tendency 
to excitability under the imfluence of the im- 
agination. But the pliable palm, when dis- 
proportionately long, betokens selfishness and 
sensuality. Finally, if the palm be thin, narrow 
and weak, there will be feebleness of character, 
lack of self rebanee, torpor of imagination. 


EL FERASSAH. 


37 


Turming now to the fingers, we observe that 
if they be short, thick and fat at the ends, they 
may indícate dishonesty or cruelty. A thief or 
a liar might have such fingers. If the fingers 
are swollen at the roots, the instincts are gross, 
inclining to gluttony and sensuality. Strong 
and long fingers sugges't prudence and good 
mental capacity. Ill-placed with irregularity of 
contour, they indícate want of energy, frivolity 
and probably betoken poverty. Also if the 
fingers are widely dispersed we infer poverty 
and inability to acquire wealth. On the other 
harid, when they are United closely there will 
probably be found avarice, miserliness and un- 
charitableness. Where the fingers are capable 
of being easily turned back there is to be in- 
ferred sagacity, love of knowledge and natural 
adroitness. If they be ha'bitually turned back, 
however, the sign is not as favorable. Of this 
we shall soeak later under the head of gesture 
or habitude. 

Perhaps the most significant part of the hand 
is the thumb. Its length and proportion to the 
fingers as well as the proportion of its first and 
second phalanges to each other, are all of the 
utmost importance to the interpretation of «the 
subject’s mentality. Generally it may be said 
that a long thumb is of good import and a very 


3» 


EL FERASSAH. 


short thumb is of adverse significance, buit as we 
shall presently see, much depends upon the 
relative length of the phalanges. If the thumb 
be large and knotty, that is, charac'terized by 
large joints, particularly with certain defined 
shapes of the tips, there will be aptitude for 
business and the exac't Sciences. A thumb large 
and strong, accompanied by smooth regular 
fingers indícales a logical mind—the impubes 
dominated and controlled by reflection; reason 
is absolute mistress of activity. When the 
thumb is small and insignificant, however, it 
betrays irresolution and weakness of intellect 
and will. This significance may be cotinteracted 
in some measure by exceptionally well-formed 
fingers; bu't, taken in itself, its import is ad¬ 
verse. 

Of the two phalanges of the thumb, the first, 
or nail phalanx, is believed to be a measure or 
token of will, while the second phalanx denotes 
intelleat or logic in rela'tion to the will. When 
the nail phalanx is longer than the second 
phalanx, will predominates over reason; the 
subject will be determined and little affected by 
argument or persuasión. Such a man we cali 
< ‘arbitrary ,, or stubborn. When ignorance co- 
exists with the arbitrary disposition we charac- 
terizetheunfortunatepersonas bigoted or more 


J»a\jor YvoltxA 
X>rttW rt by 
\\K<*\AclYv 

ir 










4o 


EL FERASSAH. 


vulgarly “pig-headed.” On the other hand, 
with the second phalanx larger than the first, 
intellect or reason predominates. The mind 
will be logical and deliberative. If the dis- 
proportion be very great, the subject tends for- 
ever to balance the pros and cons of any matter, 
finding himself well-nigh una'ble to come to a 
decisión. If the two phalanges be well-pro- 
portioned, one to the other, and the thumb as a 
whole be fairly long, we infer a well-balanced 
mind, intelligent and reasonable, but possessed 
withal of sufficiently strong will, to insure the 
carrying out of wise judgmenlts. With both 
phalanges small, the whole thumb is- insignifi- 
cant, betraying weaknessi both of intellect and 
of will. Such a subject is most unhappy of all. 

Our second classi of divergences in hands 
concerns ithe shape and contour. The shape 
of the hand taken as a wbole is not without its 
significante, but it is especially with the fingers 
and thumb that we now have to concern our- 
selves. And we observe that aside from their 
length the shape of the fingers is determined 
chiefly by the form of the finger tips and the size 
of the joints. As to the latter features, fingers 
are divided into two principal classes, called re- 
spectively smooth and knotty fingers. The 
latter class is subdivided again into three sub- 


EL FERASSAH. 


41 


classes, according as the irregularity marks the 
first joint, or the second or both. 

We may say in the beginning that irregular 
or knotty fingers mark the man of practical 
mind, while the smooth, regular fingers are in- 
dicative of the idealist temperament. Science 
and practical affairs are the domain of the knotty 
finger, art is the realm of the smooth finger. In 
general we claim that the knotte'd finger indi- 
cates a love of order. When the knot is found 
between the nail and second phalanges, we infer 
a tendency to order in ideas—'the mind of the 
philosopher. When it is the second joint that 
is knotted, the su'bject will incline to order in 
material things; he will be a lover of system in 
practical affairs, and he may be a successful 
merchant or speculator. When all the knots 
are prominent there will be a very- punctual, 
methodical, systematic mind rrtuch given to re- 
flection. If on the other hand there be a total 
absence of knots we shall have the so-called 
smooth fingers which suggest artisltic tendencies 
and a mind guided by intuition rather than by 
reason. 

The finger tips are classified according to their 
shape as spatulate, square, conical and poin'ted. 
The spatulate or spatula-shaped fingers are 
those which broaden at the ends. They are 


42 


EL FERASSAH. 


believed ¡to denote an energetic temperament, 
fond of activity. The square finger is the useful 
practical type, the conical, the artistic or 
aesthetic type, and the pointed, the trans¬ 
cendental type. Thus, unless greatly modified 
by other conditions, the spatulate finger indi- 
cates the active man of affairs, the explorer, the 
politician, the adventurous merchant, etc. The 
square finger rnarks the ingenious mechante, 
the inventor, the man of business, the adminis- 
trator and also the instrumental musician. The 
conical belongs par excellence to the artist and 
the poet, and 1 it argües an impractical mind, 
with love of the refinements of life. As for the 
pointed finger, it is found in the hand of dreamy 
idealisits, Utopian philosophers, sentimentalists 
and lovers of occult Science. 

Where conical 'fingers are rnarked by knots 
there will still be the aesthetic taste, but quali- 
fied by a colder, intellectual element. The poet 
with such hands will write poetry of the in- 
tellect; the artist will produce allegorical paint- 
ings, etc. If the square finger be smooth, the 
hand thusi indicated will be that of a man fond 
of administrative functions, the opposite of the 
dreamer. Such a man having the smooth or 
artistic finger combined with the square or prac¬ 
tical tip may achieve success in the more prac- 


EL FERASSAH. 


43 


tical lines of literatura, as magazine essays, cor¬ 
respondente, etc.; he may also succeed in real'm 
of plástic art. If the square fingers be knotted, 
substantially the same may be predicated of the 
subjedt, with the addition of strong, good sense, 
love of order and practical usefulness. Fingers 
spatulate and smooth, indícate aptitude for ma- 
thematics, mechanical Science and for war. 
Finally, with modera knots and fingers partly 
square and partly spatulate, we should find a 
modérate degree of inspiration combined with 
the practical capacity for realization. This is 
the ordinary type of masculine liand—the hand 
that lias conquered the wilderness, built cities 
and founded empires. 

The texture or consistency of the hands rnust 
also be considered. This involves the quality 
both of the skin and of the muscles. A 
thick hand usually indicates a phlegmatic tem- 
perament and a thin spare hand, a nervous 
temperament, but there are exceptions to this 
rule. A hand, thick, hard and generally coarse 
is elemenltary and belong« to a low order of in- 
telligence. Hard, wrinkled hands which open 
horizontally with diifficulty, betray obstinacy— 
want of mental flexibility. A hollow, deep palm 
is believed to foreshadow misery, ill-luck and 
failures in life. Hands always white, hardly 





EL FERASSAH. 


45 


changing color under any circumstances are re- 
garded as a sure sign of egoism and selfishness. 

We may, also, to a modérate extent, draw in- 
ferences from the shape and quality of the nails. 
Short nails often indícate quickness of intellect 
—a keen perceptive faculty; but they may also 
betoken a critical spirit and a certain tendency 
to pugnacity. If the nails are long and curved, 
resemlbling talons they betray a cruel dispo- 
sition. Generally, the finer the texiture of the 
nails the finer and more sensitive the mind of the 
subject, and the coarser their texture the lower 
the grade of intelligence. 

At this point it will be convenient to cali at- 
tention to the mounts, or fleshy protuberances 
upon the palmar surface of the hand. Here the 
reader will be assisted by referring to the dia- 
gram (Píate VIII.)* The ñames of the Román 
divinities by which the several mounts of the 
palm are designated are here employed, purely 
ín a metamaphorical sense, as suggestive of cer¬ 
tain mental qualities. 

At the base of the índex finger is the mount of 
Júpiter. This, when prominent, is believed to 
denote honor, dignity and religión. It also in- 
wolves a worthy ambition and a cheerful dis- 
position. If the mount be nearly or completely 
absent, subs'tantially the opposites of the fore- 


46 


EL FERASSAH. 


going qualities will be indicated. On the other 
hand, where the mount is> excessively developed 
we may find pomposity and love oí ceremony, 
as well as tyranny and arrogance. 

The mount oí Saturn at the base of the second 
finger is significant of prudence. Cheiromance 
also make it the seat of fatality, but of this we 
shall speak in another chapter. Subjects who 
have this mount prominent are cautious, sensi- 
tive and inclined to melancholy. T.hey love 
retirement and find country occupations most 
congenial. In excess the mount suggests 
morose, melancholy and morbid fancies. Its 
absence signifies incapacity or insignificance. 

The next mount is that of Apollo, or the Sun, 
located at the base of the third finger. It is 
significant of genius, brilliancy and glory and 
augurs great good fortune as the result of emi- 
nent talents. Excessive prominence of this, 
indicates the faults of genius—extravagance, 
luxury, boastfulness and conceit. Utter absence 
denotes dulness and obtuseness. At the base 
of the little finger is the mount of Mercury. It 
denotes mental agility, cleverness, eloquenee, 
capacity for science and commerce. When the 
mount is absent we may infer that the above 
qualities are not present in any marked degree, 
But in excess, its significance is even worse, 


EL FERASSAH. 


47 


pointing to dishonesty, treachery and theft. 
Below the mount of Mercury, still on the outer 
border of the hand, is the mount of Mars. 
Courage in self-defence is the significance of 
tliis mount when normally developed. A'bsence 
denotes cowardice, while excessive orominence 
indicates aggressiveness, violence and cruelty. 

The last mount on this outer border of the 
hand is the mount of the Moon. This, when 
prominent, betokens imagination and a love of 
poetry and sense of harmony. It also suggests 
mysticism, and in excess may point to fanatic- 
ism and superstition. A subject from whose 
hand it is absent, will be quite unimaginative. 

At the root of the thumb is the mount of 
Venus. Well developed, it always betokens in 
a subject a capacity for pleasure of the senses— 
love of beauty, grace and melody—genuine en- 
joyment of the pleasures of life. It is nearly 
absent in phlegmatic su'bjects and is excessively 
prominent in debauchees. 

The fingers also and the fleshy promitience 
upon the palmar surface of the several phalanges 
all have their specific significance. The índex 
finger is understood to be expressive of 
Intellect , the first or nail phalanx of this finger 
is the región of perception, the second learn- 
ing or the capacity to acquire knowledge, and 


48 


EL FERASSAH . 


the third of wisdom or assimilated knowledge. 
Prominences lipón either of these phalanges in¬ 
dícate in the subjeot a good development of the 
designated faculties. 

The second finger is that of Association or 
social disposition. The first phalanx indicates 
dignity, the second when prominent betokens 
a taste for retirement, a love of agriculture and 
also of mechanics, and the third an inclination 
for social organizaron. 

The third or ring finger expresses wilL Its 
nail phalanx indicates ambition and a talent for 
art, the second is the región of indirstry and in- 
stinct for wealth, and the third gauges» the in¬ 
dividuáis eniotive forcé. 

And finally the little finger is the índex of 
Expression. Tact and eloquence are indicated 
by the protuberance upon its nail phalanx, ver- 
satilitv and educational capacity by its second 
phalanx and the love of adventure by the third. 
It must be understood that in the foregoing only 
the salient indications are noted. They will 
suffice, however, for the purpose of a general 
guide. In view of these possible modifications 
it will be evident that in exact diagnosis of the 
hand, it will be quite unsafe to rely upon mere 
formal resemblance to any type. In describing 
therefore the seven primal types with which we 


EL FERASSAH. 


49 


shall presently occupy ourselves, we are only 
placing before the reader as it were the blank 
forms, to be filled in with specific individual 
peculiarities. 

The Habitudes and involuritary gestures of 
the hands are many and varied. We may in- 
stance only a few of the more familiar, as ex- 
amples. Habitually closed hands betoken 
secretiveness and perhaps untruth. Spasmodi- 
cally opening and closing of the hands is an in- 
dication of nervous temperament. On the 
other hand, if the hands are kept studiously 
motionless and impassive they betray a con- 
scious posing for effect. The thumb is a very 
tell-tale member. When the intellect is strong 
and the will dominant, the thumb shows this 
mental 'soundness by its alert, aggressive air. 
But where there exists mental weakness the 
thumb by its feebleness and inertness becomes a 
sure índex of the subject’s mental condition. 
The habitual folding of the thumb in upon the 
palm, is a sure sign either of merely nascent in- 
telligence as in the case of the infant, of declin- 
ing mentality as in the case of the dying man 
or of stunted or arrested development bordering 
upon idiocy. 

We are now in s, position to discuss more in- 
telligently the recognized classes of hands. 


Ideal 

HAND 

3.V 




EL FERASSAH. 


5i 


Since the time of D’Arpentingny there has been 
a general consensus among cheirognomists, in 
favor of seven primal types. These may be 
designated as follows: 

The Elementary Hand (Píate I.); the Active 
Hand (Píate II.); the Useful Hand (Píate III.); 
the Artistic or Aesthetic Hand (Píate IV.); the 
Psychic Hand (Píate V.); the Philosophic 
Hand (Píate VI.); the Mixed Hand (Píate VII). 

This classification is made principally upon 
the basis of differences in the shape of the finger 
tips and the contour of the joints, but it is neces- 
sary to consider, also, other distinctive features, 
such as the size, texture and thickness of the 
palm, and the relative prominence of the respec¬ 
tive mounts. In proportion as the simple types 
are complicated by special modifications, we 
have the more complex hands, many of which 
may themselves be considered subordinate 
types. Special variations are absolutely with- 
out number. In what follows, we shall briefly 
describe the principal types, and also, if space 
permits, instance a few of the more common 
special variations. 

• The Elementary hand is the lowest form of 
hand. It stands at the very beginning of man¬ 
ual evolution in the human species. It consists 
of a proportionately large, fleshy palm, with 


5 2 


EL FERASSAH. 


short thick stubby fingers. The skin is hard 
and wrinkled and the joints lack suppleness and 
distinctiveness. It is the hand of the savage, 
and in proportion as any hand shares its charac- 
teristics, we infer a tendency to revert from civi- 
lization to batbarism. The large thick palm 
and the short fingers suggest the crudest sort 
of intelligence, and from the shortness of the 
fingers we further infer, impulsive action, un- 
controlled by reason. If the fingers be very 
short, cruelty and violence are indicated. 

The Active hand, is above all, distinguished 
by the broadened or spatula-shaped finger-tips. 
In the perfect type there is a large thumb, and 
the hand is fairly large and well proportioned, 
but hard in its texture. Spatulate subjects are 
characterized by great energy and self-confi- 
dence in active pursuits. They are matter of 
fact, rather than romantic or sentimental. They 
make excellent pioneers and colonists. Their 
interest in art, will incline to architecture or to 
colossal paintings, expressive of action—battle 
scenes and the like; in poetry they will favor the 
drama, and in religión they will be Protestan! 
rather than Catholic. This hand is found more 
commonly in the North of Europe among the 
Saxon and Teutonic peoples, than with the 
Latin races of the South. If the spatulate fing- 


EL FERASSAH. 


53 


ers are smooth, the subject will show certain in- 
tuition in the direction of this energy. This 
may 'be the hand of a reformen If they be 
knotted, reason and system with love of detail, 
will be present instead of intuition. This is 
the hand of the practical scientist. But an in- 
significant thumb or softness in the texture of 
the hand modifies the type for the worse. 

We have next the Useful Hand. This is a 
broad, rather large hand, with fingers square 
at the tips and marked by a distinct protuber- 
ance at the second joint. The thumb will be 
well proportioned to the hand, and the palm 
will be thick and firm in texture. This is the 
hand of method, order and discipline. The 
possessor of the square hand will be conven- 
tional as regards social usages, a lover of or¬ 
ganizaron and routine. He will be the personi- 
fication of officialism. If the joints be knotted 
the inclination for order is strengthened to a 
painful degree, but with smooth fingers, this 
hand represents a hard-headed, practical, pru- 
dent and altogether successful and useful type 
of man. 

The Artistic hand is characterized by sym- 
metry and delicaey of contour, the fingers 
smooth and rounded to a conical shape at the 
tips, the thumb rather smaller than would be 


54 


EL FERASSAH . 


expected, and the palm fairly developed. Where 
this hand is found we shall discover a mind 
guided by intuition. Impulse rather than 
reason will be the spring of all activity. Moved 
by sentiment and animated by a strong love of 
the beautiful, the possessor of the Artistic or 
Conic hand will be a creature of enithusiasm 
which may be permanent or transitory, accord- 
ing to the moral and intellectual strength of the' 
hand; a long vigorous thumb counts for every- 
thing. With a short thumb the hand is weak, 
and the subject, though having artistÍG tastes is 
a slave of his passing impulses. 

The Psychic hand, is of all the types, the most 
symmetrically beautiful. Small and delicate, the 
palm thin and almost transparent, the thumb 
small and regular, and the long fingers tapering 
to a pointed tip; this hand is at once the inost 
beautiful and the most impractical. It is the 
hand of the enthusiast, the dreamer, the inspired 
preacher. It represents a soul that dwells in 
the realm of high ideáis and is moved by the 
noblest impulses, while lacking often the re- 
quisite practical capacity for their execution. 
If knots appear on this hand they only modify 
it for the worse, such is the essential lack of 
harmony between the intuitional and the 
rational mind. 


EL FERASSAH. 


55 


The Philosophic hand is marked by a palm 
large and elastic, á long thumb with its 
phalanges equally proportioned and fingers not 
over long terminating in semi-square, semi- 
conic tips. Bu't the most conspicuous feature 
of this hand is the prominente of 'both joints, 
which gives to the fingers a peculiarly, irregular 
appearance, and renders appropriate the alter- 
native ñame “Knotty Hand” by which it is 
sometimes designated. Subjects possessing 
the philosophic hand are characterized by a love 
of ultimóte analysis and a profound search after 
first principies. It is the why and wherefore 
that above all interests them—^the inner reality 
and essential nature of things rather tiran their 
superficial appearance. The essential inde- 
pendence of this type of mind tends to free 
thought and skepticism as opposed to dogma- 
tism. Yet it is relentlessly honest with itself, 
even as in criticising the opinión of others. 

There remains to be considered the last class, 
that of the Mixed hand. Under this head, we in- 
clude all those intermediary hands which com¬ 
bine in some definite manner the distinguishing 
features of two or more of the preceding types. 
Thus we find square fingers modified toward the 
conical and spatulate fingers, or modified toward 
the square. A knotty hand too, may be so 


5 6 


EL FERASSAH. 


modified toward sotne one of the other types, as 
no longer to be a strict representative of the 
philosophic type. 

We have now fulfilled the aim of this chapter, 
but it may be profitable before bringing it to a 
conclusión to test the foregoing principies by a 
service of hasty, practical applications. 

For the purpose of the test it will matter 
little whether on the one hand, we deduce from 
a readiing of a given hand the mentality of the 
subject or from a previous acquaintance with 
the subject’s mind and character, we construct 
a diagram of his hand. In either case if our 
calculations be accurate, we shall find that our 
conclusions substantially tally with the facts, 
as they exist. The diagnosis 1 of a given hand, 
may lead> us to the conclusión that our. client 
possesses in an eminent degree the qualities of 
a successful teacher, or from our knowledge of 
the achievements of some master-educator, we 
may, without so much as seeing his hand, ap- 
proximate very closely, to a correct delineation 
of it. 

The variation in hands due to sex is chiefly 
a matter of size and consistency. We expect, 
other things being equal, that a man’s hand will 
be rather large, somewhat hard and with fairly 
long, square or spatulate fingers. This in the 


EL FERASSAH. 


57 


absence of any more specific information as to 
the subject’s mentality. On the contrary, a 
woman’s hand will be smaller, softer and have 
shorter fingers. As to the mounts, we should 
expect in the masculine hand that the mounts of 
Júpiter, Satura and Mars would be prominent; 
but the hand, feminine, may be assumed to have 
fairly developed, the mounts of Mercury, Venus 
and the Moon. To be more explicit than this 
would be unwarranted without more detailed in¬ 
formation of the subject’s mental constitution. 

But if we are concerned with a subject of a 
well defined' mentality, which is known to us, 
we are able very readily to describe his hand. 
Let us assume, for instanee, a very successful 
merchant. Here we shall expect a large, well- 
formed hand, strong thumb and spatulate fing¬ 
ers. The palm will be well-developed, having 
fair prominences of Júpiter and Satura, but 
more prominent mounts of the Sun and of 
Mercury. The mount of the Moon will be 
imperfectly developed and the mount of Venus 
fairly prominent. In the thumb, the phalanx 
of the Will, will be sligbtly longer than that of 
Logic. The most prominently developed 
phalanges will be the third phalanges of the 
second and third' fingers. Assume now the 
orator. We shall have here a modification of 



V 











EL FERASSAH. 


59 


the Bsychic hand. The fingers will tend to be 
pointed, and the hand, as a whole, will probably 
be symmetrical and delicate. There will be 
prominence at Júpiter and the Sun, the Moon, 
also at Mercury and the erltire little finger will 
tend to be well developed. Of the two 
phalanges of the thumb it is that of Logic, that 
will be the longer. 

If our subject be a teacher we shall have 
hands somewhat between the useful and artis- 
tic type. There will be prominent mounts of 
Júpiter and Saturn and marked protuberances 
upon the third phalanges of the Índex and 
second fingers. The musician will have a some¬ 
what similiar hand, with the addition of a promi¬ 
nent mount of the Moon, which indicates imag¬ 
ina tion and love of harmony, as well as pro- 
nounced knots at the second joints of the fing¬ 
ers, suggesting method and material order. 
The little finger will be well developed. As to 
the tips of the fingers, with an instrumentalist, 
they will tend to be spatulate, and with a vocal- 
ist will incline rather to the conical form. 

We have now covered the field of Cheir- 
ognomy. The treatment has necessarily been 
brief, but we have sought to 'set before the reader 
the guiding principies of the Science. We 
turn now to the more venerable sister-science of 


6o 


EL FERASSAH. 


Cheiromancy, which will occupy us in the fol- 
lowing chapter. 


\V\loSoTf>*iC 

\k\oXI^\ÍxkL 

t'j 

^KuXA.o.Vv 

yt 








62 


EL FERASSAH. 


CHAPTER III. 
CHEIROMANCY. 

We now apply ourselves to the second branch 
of our su'bject—the eider sister of our two kin- 
dred Sciences, for if Cheirognomy may properly 
be called a modcrn Science, the same cannot be 
predicated of the subject of our present inquiry. 
Of this latter, the origin is hidden in the midst 
of remóte antiquity. The Greeks recognized 
it; the Romans practiced its precepts; and 
even the ancient Egyptians seem to have been 
not unfamiliar with its leading principies. Ar- 
istotle plainly alludes to this Science, as do also 
certain of the Román poets and philosophers; 
and if we are disposed to seek yet remoter testi- 
mony as to its antiquity, we shall find it upon 


EL FERASSAH. 63 

the hoary monuments that mask the valley of 
the Nile. 

But although Cheiromancy, as a Science and 
an art, is of undoubted antiquity, nevertheless, 
its modera development dates from the begin- 
ing of the present century. Owing to the ex- 
aggerated claims and the unscientific methods 
of the mediaeval palmists, the Science seemed 
in danger of 'suffering an eclipse. That it es- 
caped the threatened oblivion and gained a new 
and stronger hold upon t/his most skeptical age 
is due to the genius of one man—Adrien 
Desbarrolles. In the estimation of this learned 
Frenchman and his disciples, the modera Cheir- 
omants, we have to do here no longer with the 
crude arts of the ancient contemporaries of the 
Pharaohs and the Ptolemies; ñor with the cun- 
ning palmistry of the Middle Ages, but with a 
Science , as orderly in its arrangements and as 
logical in its conclusions as any other organ- 
ized body of useful knowledge. 

Yet the historical development of any Science 
is worthy of consideration, and we cannot ignore 
the relation of Cheiromancy to the kindred 
Science which shares its high antiquity. We 
refer to Astrology—the Science of planetary in- 
fluences. While the modera Cheiromancy has 
turned down the more fantastic notions of the 


6 4 


EL FERASSAH. 


ancients regarding the influence oí the planets, 
it still accepts in a modérate degree that prime 
premise of Astrology, that the planets do meas- 
urably influence human destiny. That the 
light and heat of the Sun and the phases of the 
Moon and the planets do distinctly affect our 
moods, no one can deny; may they not then also 
influence our temperaments well? May not 
Solar and Lunar, Jupiterian and Saturnian, 
Martial and Venusian desígnate causally, rather 
than merely figuratively, the respective types of 
human kind? And mav not the hand—that 
most ingeniou», least secretive of members—be 
the fittest indicator of the planets subtle in¬ 
fluence? 

The médium of this influence has been defined 
immemorially as the Astral Fluid or Fluids. 
With this term, at least, we can have no quarrel. 
For does it involve more assumption than the 
Ether that invisible médium which the Physi- 
cists find so convenient in solving their hardest 
problems? Astral Fluids, these planetary in- 
fluencés shall be called, until some profounder 
student of Cheiromancy shall discover or devise 
a more fitting designation. Meanwhile the in- 
ñuences remain. They are facts, and indeed, 
among the profoundest facts of our existence. 

The Ancients attributed to each planet a par- 


EL FERASSAH. 


6 5 


ticular and special influence over every being 
t'hat inhabited the globe; the ñames they gave 
these planets indicated, at once, the nature of 
their revolution around the Sun, and that of 
their influence over human life. 

They called the planet, whose movement 
they thought the slowest, Saturn, and being the 
farthest of those known to them from the Sun, 
they supposed it to be possessed of a dry, coid 
temperature, little favorable to the preservation 
of either human or animal life, and likely to de- 
velop bile in the corresponding human organi- 
zation. The bilious temperament, consequently, 
which is coid, serious and often melancholy, 
they attributed to the especial influence of this 
planet. 

The largest of all the planets they called 
Júpiter, and on account of its position in the 
heavens, where ib is neither too near ñor too 
far from the Sun, they supposed it to be warm 
and moist, and consequently favorable to a 
rapid circulation of the blood, and equal tem¬ 
perament, and a good, gracious, bright and ac¬ 
tive disposition, which would make the possessor 
love order, justice, peace and well being. 

On the same principie they gave the ñame of 
Mars to the little planet whose circle of revo¬ 
lution lies between Júpiter and the Sun. Mars 


66 


EL FERASSAH. 


pre.sented to tliem the appearance of a red hot 
iron, and its surrounding atmosphere seemed 
charged with clouds besmeared with blood; all 
of which they attributed to this planet’s prox- 
imity to the Sun. They supposed its dry, and, 
as it were, incendiary nature transmitted a cer- 
tain amount of heat and fire to the man born 
under its influence, that is to say, to all im- 
patient, quarrelsome or violent dispositions, al- 
ways ready to make a disturbance, and happy 
only in the midst of struggle and strife. 

The planet Venus was named from the Latín 
word veniens , as she seemed to come whenever 
looked for, being the earliest to appear in the 
evening, as well as the last to disappear at dawn 
of day. This beautiful planet with her oure, 
white, clear and steady light, has been consid- 
ered the emblem and source of beauty, of sweet- 
ness and of goodness, endowing with these qual- 
ities all whose nativity fell under her kindly in¬ 
fluence. 

Mercury, was so named, on account of the 
rapidity of its movement around the Sun, as it 
never ceased to go and come, to appear and 
disappear, like a gay and agile messenger. 
This very vivacity, this lightness and quietness 
of movement gave, they supposed, to those 
whose births were influenced by this planet, 



VII. 

Mixed Hand. 





68 


EL FERASSAH. 


great vivacity, as well as great intellectual abil- 
ity or acuteness and agility of the body and its 
members. Mercury is the smallest of the 
planets and, generally speaking, those who re- 
present its qualities are thin and slight, although 
well formed and well proportioned. 

Considering the Sun a planet, the ancients 
gave it the ñame of Helios , which means “the 
brilliant.” As to those born under its influence, 
they attributed to thern a perfectly harmonious 
temperament, as well as a complete organiza- 
tion, and an inspired intelligence, Creative of the 
beautiful and of the ideal; such a temperament 
as is met with in great poets', artists, etc. 

5* elena, or the Moon, was the last of the planets 
of the ancients. The coid palé light of this 
planet is well-known. Her influence was re-- 
garded by the ancient Cheiromants as the orig¬ 
inal cause of certain weaknesses of character, 
which showed themselves principally in a want 
of vivacity and initiative energy and decisión to- 
gether with a great inclination of melancholly. 
Such persons have vivid and capricious imaginfa- 
tions, changing without reason or motive, due, 
a9 older Astrologers thought, to the changes 
that the Moon herself underwent. When exag- 
gerated these influences produce what we cali 
lunatics. 


EL FERASSAH. 


69 


To these seven planets correspond the seven 
principal organizations that give rise to the 
temperaments of niankind. This relation will 
appear more plain to the reader by the aid of the 
following table: 

PLANETS AND TEMPERAMENTS. 


Planets. Temperament. Character. 

Saturn.Bilious.í Wise, thoughtful, sad, coid, 

•< slow, lover of solitude, re- 
( morseful, melancholy. 

Júpiter.Bilious—Sanguine.... [Proud,decided,honest,grave, 

I loyal, intelligent, imperious, 

] domineering, superstitious 
L and eager to shine. 

Mars.Muscular.fResisting, courageous, cool, 

■ sometimes quarrelsome and 
J violent, unjust. cruel, inso- 
L lent, tyranñical. 

Venus.Nervous—Sanguine.. íSweet. kindly, good, sympa- 

thetic, graceful, gallant, 
] pleasing, coquetish, vain, 
lightheaded, inconstant, 
L lazy, licentious. 

Mercury.Nervous—Bilious.... f Quick, industrious eloquent, 

I clever, adroit, intriguing, 

] pretentious, lying and thiev- 
l ing. 

The Moon. ..Lymphatic. | Imaginative, chaste, senti- 

I mental, meditativo, change- 
\ able, capricious, discon- 
I tented, dreamy, melancliol- 
t ly and despairing. 

The respective temperaments are recognized 
by certain well defined signs in the hands. These 
consist partly of the mounts or prominences 
(which we need no-t here dwell upon since we dis- 
cussed them in the preceding chapter), partly of 
lines and partly of other general characteristics. 
With respect to the latter we may say that 










7 o 


EL FERASSAH. 


the Bilious or Saturnian hand will have long, 
bony fingers and a hard dry palm. The middle 
finger, dedicated to Saturn, will be especially 
long. The Jupiterian hand will be marked by a 
long índex finger, usually with a square extrem- 
ity, and by a distinctly developed mount of 
Júpiter at the base of the finger. In the typically 
Martian hand we find a full, thick palm—the so- 
called plain of Mars” encroaching upan the 
mount of the same ñame. In the Vcnusian or 
Ncrvous sanguine hand, the most notieeable 
characteristics are the fine heart-line and the 
full mount of Venus at the base of the thumb. 
Mercurial hands have beside the conspicuous 
mount of Mercury, a long, thin and pointed: little 
finger. Lunar or Lymphatic hands are soft, 
with a developed mount of the moon, and 
usually have lines of the palm tending towards 
the mount. Finally the Solar or Haromonic 
type or temperament produces a beautiful 
shapely hand, with an especially long third 
finger, and a Solar mount furrowed with lines. 

We now come to discuss what is the principal 
subject of our Science viz: the lines and the palm. 
Owing to the necessary limitations of the pres¬ 
en! chapter our treatment of these must be more 
cursory than the subject deserves. We shall, 
however, hope to afíord an outline, by the aid of 


EL FERASSAH. 


7 i 


which the interested reader rnay more easily 
peruse the more elabórate, but, also, more 
cumbersome works of Desbalrolles and other 
distinguished masters of Cheiromancy. 

The three most important lines in the hand are 
those that form the letter M in the palm. These 
three lines are: The Une of the heart, the Une of 
the head and the Une of Ufe. We shall consider 
them in the above order. The Une of the 
Heart runs horizontally across the hand, at the 
base of mounts, which belong to the several 
fingers. According to its length, depth and 
clearness, we can estímate the degree of disin- 
terested devotion the heart is capable of. It 
ought to extern! from the Mount of Júpiter to 
the outer edge of the hand. The more it ex- 
tends toward Júpiter, the purer will be the af- 
fection which it indicates. An excessively long 
line is bad, indicating an excess of affection and 
consequent j^alousy. 

This line tends to be long and clear in the 
Venusian type, and long, but palé, in Lunar 
hands. It is only moderately long in the Solar 
and Jupiterian hands, even sliorter with the 
Mecurian and Saturian types, and very short 
with the Martians. The significance of these 
dififerences the reader will readily discern upon 
referring to the table of temperament on page 69. 


72 


EL FERASSAH. 


Persons from whose hand the Heart line is 
absent will never be influenced by sentiment, but 
by interest alone. 

If the Heart line is crossed by other chan 
principal lines,these are indicated,as many blows 
of sensibilities, as there are lines. 

A Heart line that begins and ends with 
branches or tassels betokens a good and rich 
nature; the character will be all the more beau- 
tiful and noble, if, at its beginning, under Júpiter 
the branches ascendí towards that finger. A 
line of the Heart without branches indicates a 
timid, undecided person, lacking vivacity and 
expansión. 

So if the heart line extends towards the head 
line at the precussion of the hand, the indication 
is that the head will master the heart, that affec- 
tion will be sacrificed to interest. 

A chain-like Heart line suggests inconstancy 
or small affairs. A broken line, if appearing 
in both hands, is considered fatal. 

II. The line of the Head is the second 
branch of the letter M in the palm. By its 
length, depth and clearness, is recognized the 
greater or lesser disposition of a su'bject for in- 
tellectual labor, as well as capacity for looking 
after his interests. It indicates also a strong 
will. 



VJij 









74 


EL FERASSAH. 


This line is long in the Saturnian, Jupiterian 
and Mercurian types. In the Solar and Lunar 
types it is still long, but diverges from a direct 
path, descending towards the mount of the 
Moon. In the Venusian and Martian types it 
is : shorter. The head line, extending to the per- 
cussion of the hand, denotes a man who is 
master of himself and has an eye to his own in- 
terests. If it finishes lower, cióse to the Mount 
of the Moon, it dgnifies a tendency to abandon 
all positive interests for dreamv contemplation, 
given to building castles in the air. If, on the 
contrary, this same line ascends at its extremity 
towards Mercury, it is a sign that the head is 
ruled by the heart—a sign that all intervals 
will be neglected where t)he soul is bound by a 
sentiment or afifection. 

The line of the Heail, clear and puré from 
beginning to end, indicates a clear brain that 
will not become easily troubled; but if unequal 
as regards size and depth, it denotes a mind not 
sure of itself—confused, uncertain, undecided. 
When this line ends just under Saturn, it is 
fatal, provided the other signs in the hand point 
to the same thing. 

Not joined to the Life line it signifies, caprice, 
imprudence and discontent. A sister or ac- 


EL FERASSAH. 


75 


companying line is always of good ornen where- 
ever it is found. 

III. The Line of Life bounds the Mount of 
Venus, beginning between the root of the thumb 
and the Índex finger, and at its extremity ap- 
proaching the wrist. By its clearness, depth 
and length, may 'be ascertained the degree of 
vigor of the su'bject’s consititution as well as the 
probabilities of a long or short life. A long 
puré and well traced Life line, equal in all parts, 
and of a beautiful rose color, is the sign of a good 
constitution, of vigorous health, and gives hope 
also of a long life. 

Short, boldly-drawn and of unequal size, it 
designates a weah constitution, bad blood and a 
disposition to troublesome fevers. 

If besides, it is cut by other small lines, it 
indicates attacks of various maladies; their 
origin is known by the part of the hand from 
which they take their departure. 

In examining the Life line it is necessary to 
know whether at its birtli above the thumb it 
joins the Head line or not. If it does, this is 
an indication that the person will be wise and 
prudent in all his undertakings; if, on the other 
hand, the two lines do not touch at all, it is a 
sign that the Head and Life are not in accord, 


76 


EL FERASSAH. 


and that recklessness, rather than prudence will 
be charaoteristic. 

A Life line broken in both hands is a certain 
token of death; where the indication is found 
only in one hand it may betoken a serious mal- 
ady, with narrow escape from death. A double 
line of Life indicates an excess of vitality. 

A Life line that begins on Júpiter indicates 
immense ambition and success. Branches 
running toward the wrist indícate poverty and 
loss of money. Ascending branches announce 
aspirations towards a higher Ufe. 

If the Heart, Head and 1 Life Lines all join, it 
indicates great misfortune, perhaps accidental 
death. 

A short Life line, with two srnall adjacent 
parallel lines, announces also a short life. A 
deep hole in the Life line betokens violent 
death. 

In addition to the principal lines already con-* 
sidered, there are other important lines which 
are fóund in most hands, and we shall discuss 
them in order. 

The Line of Saturn or Fortune starts from the 
base of the hand near the wrist and ascends 
more or less directly towards the middle finger, 
which is devoted to Saturn. 

This line betokens the de ee of success 


EL FERASSAH. 


77 


likely to attend a subject’s undertakings. If it 
is found in the right hand, it indicates fortune 
favoring all active enterprises; in the left or 
passive hand it signifies puré good luck without 
the aid of personal endeavors. 

Clear, straight and puré, mounting directly 
írom the wrist througb the plain of Mars to the 
middle finger, it indicates luxuriant happiness— 
gifts money and uninterrupted success—not- 
withstanding any amount of imprudence or 
stupidity. If, however, the line be thus perfect 
only in the right hand the success will be 
achieved by personal exertions rather than fall 
to the subject as a gift of the gods. 

If the Line of Fortune, good at its beginning, 
remains so only part of its way, it indicates 
happiness, interfered with at an advanced age. 
If on the other hand this line is good only at the 
end of its course, happiness and good luck will 
arrive only at the later stage of the subject’s 
üfe. If the line be fine at the start and also at 
the end, the middle alone being cut or inter- 
rupted, it indicates that the happy conditions 
under which the person was born will give place 
to great struggles in middle life wit^ a return of 
happiness at its cióse. \ If the Line of Fortune is 
wanting in both hands, happiness and success 
are .still possible, but without the slightest aid 


78 


EL FERASSAH. 


from luck or chance. The Line of Fortune be- 
ginning at the Line of Life signifies happiness, 
dependen! on one’s merits. 

If it extends below the wrist or above the 
Mount of Saturn, there is excess and consequent 
weakness. 

If it stops abruptly at the Heart Line , it indi- 
cates happiness, ruined by a love affair or an 
illness. 

If it stops at the Head Line, it signifies happi¬ 
ness, interrupted by a false calculation or a 
cerebral malady. 

A line broken, or in the form of chains or 
islands, indicates great physical or moral strug- 
gles. 

A double line, twisted or broken, suggests in- 
firmities or corruption; but if straight it an- 
nounces exces'sive happiness. Broken in sev- 
eral places, it indicates streaks of good luck. 

The Hepatic or Liver Line is sometimes called 
the line of Hecdth. It is not found in every hand; 
but, whenever it is found, it will begin at the base 
of the hand, near the Line of Life, and continué 
to a point near the extremity of the Head Line. 

By the*straightness, depth and length of this 
line, we are able to ascertain the strength of a 
subject’s constitution, together with his capacity 


EL FERASSAH. 


79 


for mental work. When it is found in neither 
hand, the person’s destiny is acdon rather than 
thought. If the line be long, straight, even and 
of equal thickness and depth, it indicates a good 
constitution, especially if it forms with the Fíead 
and Life Lines a more or less regular triangle. 

If the Line of Health does not extend as far as 
the Head Line, there is want of harmony be- 
tween the head and the liver, destroying the 
power of the hand and rendering intellectual 
work fatiguing and difficult. If the Health Line 
passes the Head Line and approaches the Heart 
Line, the power and activity of the brain will be 
turned to sentimental themes. Devotion to the 
object of affection will be pus'hed to the point 
of utter forgetfulness of self and the care of one’s 
own interests. 

Small lines Crossing the Health Line indicate 
illness originating with the liver or bile. 

When thé Health Line instead of joining the 
Head Line wanders of¥ towards the Mount of 
Mars, the significance is health, injured by strug- 
gle. The entire absence of this line may or 
may not be an indication of ill-health, as it 
makes known more particularly the capacity or 
tastes that exist for mental application and to 
what extent it is safe to work the brain. 

If separated from the Life Line, it announces 


8o 


EL FERASSAH. 


a long life; if joined with that line it betokens 
a weakness oí the constitution. 

The so-called Girdle of Venus is a curved line, 
surrounding the roots of the Mounts of Saturn 
and Apollo, and was formerly regarded as indi- 
cative of gross sensuality. It is now, however, 
taken to 1 indícate an impassioned nature, which 
may or may not degenerate to sensuality. When 
this line is broken the significance is less favor¬ 
able than when it is intact. 

It is not universally found, being more char- 
acteristic of the Jupiterian and Venusian types 
to which it gives energy and enthusiasm, with- 
out necessarily involving baseness. 

We sometimes find one or more lines Cross¬ 
ing the Mount of Apollo or the Sun having 
their beginning in the middle of the hand, at the 
Head Line or the Heart Line. 

To each line or lines we give the ñame of Lines 
of Reputation or Sun Lines and by them we dis- 
cover whether a subjeet will become celebrated 
or not. The nature of the cele'brity depends on 
where these lines origínate. 

When coming from the Pkún of Mars they in¬ 
dícate success and reputation after considerable 
struggles. Coming from the Head Line the 
success would be based on calculation; but 
where they rise from the Heart Line they an- 


EL FERASSAH. 


81 


nounce a real talent or success due to generosity 
of souls. 

If a single line divides it into two as it ascend's, 
it signifies natural forcé, neutralized by división. 
If it divides into three parts, it indicates a desire 
for glory, riches and talents, which, for the above 
reason, will remain only a desire. 

If these lower branches unite to form one line, 
it signifies a unión of fortune, reputation and 
merit. 

Three uneven wavering lines indícate a taste 
for several branches of art. This división of 
talent produces only an incomplete success. 

If the Sun Line or lines be crossed, the glory 
will be forfeited. There will be the desire and 
the talent, but no success. 

Small straight lines in the palm other than 
those previously described, vary in significance, 
according to their location. When they occur 
upon the mounts they may be taken as accentu- 
ating the ordinary significance of the mount. 
For example a single line on Júpiter points to 
success; on Saturn, happiness' or good fortune; 
on the mount of Apollo, talent and glory. 

Where many lines cross the mounts the sig- 
nification is adverse, emphasizing the evil indi- 
cations of the mount. 

A single line on the outside of the hand, be- 


82 


EL FERASSAH. 


yond the rríount of Mercury and parallel with 
the Hcart Linc indicates a single, lasting affec- 
tion or niarriage. Two lines announce two 
marriages or two love affairs. 

There are found in all subjects one or more 
wristlest or bracelet-like lines about the wrist 
where it joins the palm. These are said to in¬ 
dícate lengtli of life, happiness and riches. 

Four lines, parallel, straight and well defined, 
indícate a very long life, exceeding one hundred 
years. 

Three lines indícate about ninety years, two 
lines sixty, and one thirty; that is, about thirty 
years is conceived to be indicated by each line. 

If the wristlets are interrupted or in drains, 
they indícate trouble and labor, foliowed by hap¬ 
piness, provided there are as many as three 
lines. 

Besides the lines of the hand, there are also 
figures or signs, and we now undertake briefly 
to characterize them. Chief of all the figures 
is the star. The star whenever found indicates 
a great event, beyond human control. 

A star of Júpiter signifies satisfied ambition, 
honor, unexpected elevation; on Saturn, a fatal- 
ity—assassination, murder or violent death; on 
Apollo, celebrity and riches, which may be ac- 
companied by misfortune. Elsewhere the star 


EL FERASSAH. 


83 


is more often unfavorable than favorable. On 
Mercury, it signifies dishonor; on Mars, mur- 
der; on Venus, unhappiness in love or due to a 
love affair; on the Moon, hypoerisy, perfidy or 
treason. 

More advantage to a subject is the s quare 
which imparts vigor and power. A square, en- 
closing a broken line, partly or wholly, offsets 
the ill-signifi canee of that sign. For instance, 
a square enclosing a break in the Life Line 
signifies recovery from a serious sickness. 

Triangles signify scientiñc capacity or apt- 
ness and talent. On Saturn such a figure hints 
at an aptitude for occult Science; on Apollo, 
skill or Science in art; on Mars, aptitude for the 
Science of war. 

Crosses generally are obstacles if upon any 
principal line. On the fingers or mounts they 
indícate an event of importance connected with 
that phase of the Life experience signified by the 
mount or line thus complicated. On Júpiter 
a cross has been held to announce a love-match. 
Circles on Suns, indicate, great success, glory 
and reputation. 

Islands signify some irregularity—hereditary, 
disease or mystery of birth. 

Branches of the lines, if they ascend, signify 


8 4 


EL FERASSAH. 


abundant success; if descending, they betoken 
complete failures. 

Chains indícate struggles and anxieties. Dots, 
if black, signify wounds; if white, successes. 

Gratings or crossbars upon a mount are the 
defective qualities of the mount. For instance. 
on Júpiter, they indícate egotism, pride and a 
domineering spirit; on Saturn, misfortune; on 
Apollo, folly, vanity, weakness and error; on 
Mercury, theft or shyness; on Mars, violent 
death; on Venus,, strong passions, and on the 
Moon, sadness, discontent and melancholy. 

In addition to the signs which may be found 
on any part of the hand, there exists certain 
large figures, formed by the junctions of the 
principal lines. 

First we have the quadrangle, by whic'h we 
mean the space enclosed between the Heart and 
Head lines. When both lines are straight and 
regular, forming a regular quadrangle, we in- 
fer a good constitution and a large minded, gen- 
erous and kindly character. 

If either of these lines be crooked or uneven, 
the Quadrangle will be irregular and narrow, 
indicating an irresolute, malignant, narrow- 
minded person, lacking vivacity, spontaneity 
ai d decisión. 

If the Heart Line ascends towards the Head 


EL FERASSAH. 


35 


Line, it will be by forcé of self-interest or egotism 
that the subject will be rendered mean or nar- 
row. If, however, the Head Line ascend too 
much toward the Heart Line, the character, 
though perhaps generous at bottom, will be al- 
ways timid and awkward in its dennonstrations. 

The triangular space formed by the Line of 
Life, the Line of Head a,nd the Hepatic Line is 
called the Field of Mars. This is divided by the 
Line of Fortune into two unequal triangles, 
termed respectively the Lesser Triangles. 

The Greater Triangle is bounded by the Head, 
Life and Hepatic Lines. When it is perfectly 
regular, it is a sign of a fine equilibrium of the 
physical (or vital) powers with the intelectual. 
But when irregular, it is a sign of an ill-bal- 
anced organization, rendering the subject un- 
fitted for any great undertaking. 

The Great Triangle is as important for the cor- 
rect diagnosis of the hand as the Quadrangle; 
the latter indicates moral and social qualities, 
while the former marks the proportion of the 
vital and' intellectual powers. 

Finally we have the Lesser Triangle, which is 
found only in hands that possess both the Hepatic 
Line and the line of Fortune, the triangle being 
formed by the juncture of these two lines with 
the Head. 1 


86 


EL FERASSAH. 


If this figure is distinctly and regularly formed 
in any hand, it indícales intellectual capacity, 
seconded by good fortune, with great probabil - 
ity oí success. 

If ¡both the Greater and the Lesser Triangles 
are found regularly formed, the subject is fitted 
for any profession requiring mental capacity. 
But if one be wanting, a more active vocation 
would probably be better adapted. to his power. 

In the foregoing treatment we have been able 
to do little more than enumérate the lines and 
figures with the significations attaching to them. 
For the practice of practically diagnosing any 
hand it will be necessary to compare the various 
signs and arrive at a judicious resultan!. Suc¬ 
cess in this endeavor naturally depends largely 
upon experience; but by dint of a careful mastery 
of the principies embodied in this modest little 
treatise, it will not be difficult to attain great 
precisión in guaging a subject’s temperament 
and forecasting his destiny. 


EL FERASSAH. 


87 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

The author was born at Cairo, on December 
12, 1871. His father was a well-to-do merchant, 
having extensive dealings not only in that Capí¬ 
tol, but also throughout Egypt and the sur- 
rounding eountries. It was expected that he 
would succeed his father in business, and to 
this end the education of young Khaldah, dur- 
ing his boyhoodi was directed. But this ex- 
pectation was not tO' be realized. It was dis- 
covered, that as he grew toward manhood, his 
tastes inelined* stronglyi to scientific studies, 
and his disposition at length became so pro- 
nounced, that his fannily could no longer ignore 
it, the result being that ¡he was allowed to fol- 
low his own inclination. 

What especially influenced his family and 
friends to this decisión, was a circumstance 


88 


EL FERASSAH. 


which from a Western point of view, might ap- 
pear trival, but which the Eastern mind regards 
invariably with great seriousness, viz: his pre- 
disposition to prophetic visions in which the 
element of clairvoyance was émphasized by 
subsequent literal fulfillment. Two of thesie may 
be briefly alluÜed to here, inasmuch as they 
formed the immediate occasion of that decisión 
which committed the life of the subject of this 
memoir to Science rather than to commerce. At 
the age of twelve years, young Khaldah had a re- 
markable dream, during which he saw a man 
enter his father’s warehouse and prepare to carry 
away a quantity of valuable goods. So vivid 
wasi the dream that Khaldah was able to note 
the minutest details of the burglar’s personal ap- 
pearance. When the thief was about to leave 
Khaldah made frantic efforts to alarm the family, 
and at last awoke. He at once hurried to his 
father and related the dream to him, and whilst 
the latter was much inclined to rnake light of 
the matter, he accompanied his son to the ware¬ 
house in order to rnake certain that everything 
was safe. What was hisi 9urprise to find a real 
robber actually departing from the house with 
his stolen plunder. Fortunately the man was so 
disconcerted at being caught that he made no 
resistance, and' all the goods were recovered. 


EL FERASSAH. 


89 


Two years after this event Khaldah had an- 
other visión, in which he was on a long journey 
and wasi captured by a tribe of Bedouins, who 
tortured their victim. He was starved and 
beaten, branded with hot irons, and it was only 
the horror and acute suffering of the latter pun- 
ishment wh’ch roused him from dreamland with 
a shriek. This dream had a serious effect upon 
the nervous system of the youth, but a good 
constitution soon enabled him 1 to overeóme the 
trouble, and w'hen his father proposed a long 
journey in the interest of his business, his son 
was quite eager and willing to take the trip, and 
after a few days of preparation the two started 
on their way on horseback, the usual method of 
the country. The journey to their destination 
was without incident, and after completing the 
business in hand, father and son stopped for a 
few days with a sheik, who had shown himself 
both friendly and hospitable, when news was 
brought of the appearance of a marauding band 
of Arabs. The sheik at once determined to de- 
fend himself, summoned his followers and ad- 
vanced to meet the raiders. A few miles from 
the village a fierce fight began which soon 
ended in favor of the Bedouins who were superior 
in numbers and arms, and the shiek’s small party 
were made prisoners. Young Khaldah was sub- 


9 ° 


EL FERASSAH. 


jectedi to brutal treatment, and in the hope of 
rnaking him abjure his faith; he was securely 
bound and his torigue was seared with hot irons, 
but being a good Christian he held firmly 
to his faith. Finally an influential sheik 
heard the story of the fght, and becoming 
interested, used his power and caused the re¬ 
léase of two prisoners, and in the course of 
a few months young Khaldah found himself in 
Cairo among his friends to whom he related his 
experiences, and the marked fulfillment of his 
dream, which attracted especial attention. 

A celebrated savant became much interested 
in Khaldah and advised him to study under one 
of the best masters of occult Science in Egypt. 
Afterwards this promising pupil traveled in Per- 
sia, India and the far East, eventuallv going to 
París and other European capitols, devoting his 
time to the study of abtuse subjects, and finally 
directing his steps to the new world. He ar- 
rived here at the time of the Workrs Fair at 
Chicago and impressed with the vastness, grand- 
eur and beauty of that Exposition he determined 
to visit the extreme West as well as the South 
and in the course of his travels spent considerable 
time an the Pacific Slope. It was during his stay 
inthe“Valleyof the Yosemite” that, imbued with 
the grandeur of what everywhere met his eye- 


EL FERASSAH. 


9 1 


sight, he found himself suddenly called upon to 
undertake the mission which he has sin'ce consti- 
tuted his life work. His success has been instan- 
taneous as well as marvelous. Sceptics, unbeliev- 
ers, cavillers as well as self-constituted critics, 
have all and one—time and again—capitulated. 
A'ttending his lectures and exhibitions, fully de- 
termined to pulí his theories an*d practices to 
pieces, they have all in mute amazement ac- 
knowledged a possession “in him” of something 
akin, to either a lost art u or the endowment from 
Isis” of wliat the French so apt'ly cali—“Le Feu 
Sacre” and whereas they meant to pulí down 
and deride, they ended by lauding and applaud- 
ing. 

It is, however, in Society, among the ex¬ 
clusive 400, with the “Holiest of Holies” that 
Khaldah has reached his acmé of success. 



C IrercT S 

HooxA 

JX.—Sample of ¿iand drawn by A baldah, with explana . 
tion of lines on next fage. 



EL FERASSAH. 


93 


When Life Line connects under “Heart Une” it denotes 
marriage. In this case A and B connect with Head, Heart and 
Life G and E “Head Lines” when they are broken denote ups 
and downs in life.” [Failures and successes.] When G [Head 
Linel comes to an ending in Júpiter, it denotes a buoyant dispo- 
sition, indift'erence to losses, &c., &c. H denotes art, love of an- 
tiquity, music and things of beauty. Mount of \ enus very large 
denotes much love, and capability of loving often and many 
times IJfe Line when broken at F (about 30 years of age) de- 
notos sovoro sicknoss. Luna donotos lov© of trayol and a nature 
inclined to brooding and sensitiveness , 

I should iudge from this hand that the owner thereof was 
married twice, and had trouble in his love aífections, has 
eled extensively. had ups and downs in financia! matters; and 
reading this hand by Cheirognomy I would say it is artistic pru- 
dent eiiergetic, self-assertive, self-confident, intelligent, deter- 
mined, ambitious, possessed of large will-power, generous, wlth 
love of beauty and powers of perception «xceptiongy good. 

1 should iudge owner’s occupation (see ability at end oí 
finger tips) would be either professional or that of a lawyer, a 
manager, promoter or director, but not a physician or artist 
rnainterl or architect, minlster or engineer, because he isim- 
pulsive, quick-tempered, self-willed and too impatient to master 
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